diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index f82f34900..4b7e92ee9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -470,7 +470,6 @@ build-wayland-only@x86_64:
 
 .test-setup:
   variables:
-    XDG_RUNTIME_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/runtime-dir"
     GSETTINGS_SCHEMA_DIR: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR/build/data"
     MUTTER_DEBUG_DUMMY_MODE_SPECS: "800x600@10.0"
     PIPEWIRE_DEBUG: 2
@@ -482,8 +481,6 @@ build-wayland-only@x86_64:
     GTK_A11Y: "none"
   before_script:
     - !reference [.mutter.git-clone, before_script]
-    # Disable e.g. audio support to not dead lock screen cast tests
-    - mkdir -m 700 $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
 
 .test-mutter-base:
   extends:
diff --git a/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh b/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
index 3ec8099e2..e509d3443 100755
--- a/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
+++ b/src/tests/kvm/virtme-run.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ MUTTER_DEBUG=$MUTTER_DEBUG \
 $VM_ENV \
 "
 
+cleanup_paths=""
+trap '{ rm -rf $cleanup_paths; }' EXIT
+
 if [ ! -v $MUTTER_DEBUG_FORCE_KMS_MODE ]; then
   VIRTME_ENV="$VIRTME_ENV MUTTER_DEBUG_FORCE_KMS_MODE=$MUTTER_DEBUG_FORCE_KMS_MODE"
 fi
@@ -27,6 +30,13 @@ if [ ! -v $MUTTER_DEBUG_KMS_THREAD_TYPE ]; then
   VIRTME_ENV="$VIRTME_ENV MUTTER_DEBUG_KMS_THREAD_TYPE=$MUTTER_DEBUG_KMS_THREAD_TYPE"
 fi
 
+if [ ! -v "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR" ]; then
+  tmpdir=$(mktemp -d --tmpdir mutter-runtime-XXXXXX)
+  chmod 700 "$tmpdir"
+  cleanup_paths="$cleanup_paths $tmpdir"
+  export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR="$tmpdir"
+fi
+
 if [[ "$(stat -c '%t:%T' -L /proc/$$/fd/0)" == "0:0" ]]; then
   mkfifo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/fake-stdin.$$
   exec 0<> $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/fake-stdin.$$